Steam Big Picture Mode - is this possible?

[futurefields]

Right now Big Picture Mode sets my HDTV as primary display and I lose my desktop on my PC monitor.

Is there a way to have Big Picture Mode on my HDTV while still having my full desktop/start menu on my PC monitor?

I want to be able to game on my HDTV (with sound through HDTV) and watch Netflix, YouTube, browse internet on my PC monitor (with sound through PC speakers) at the same time.

Is that possible?

 

[ImpulsE69]

That's a graphics card/software thing, not a Steam thing. You would probably need to set your games to play in windowed mode and make that window your TV. I've always had issues doing this especially in 3D games where scrolling the mouse is important, because you end up running the mouse over the edge and into the next screen.

I'm guessing each program would need to be set up individually to use the screens you tell it to. Not sure if there's a program that can front end that for you or not.

 

[futurefields]

This seems like it should be basic functionality shouldn't it? What's holding it back?

 

[futurefields]

Ok... now all the sudden Big Picture Mode isn't switching the audio with the video.

So the picture goes to my HDTV but the sound is staying on my PC speakers.

It wasn't doing this this morning....

 

[poofyhairguy]

The sound should go to whatever is your primary audio device in Windows.

 

[futurefields]

I press the Home button on my 360 gamepad, and my gaming screen moves from my PC monitor to my HDTV, yet the sound continues to come from PC speakers instead of the TV speakers. I need to manually switch the sound.

Why doesn't Steam move both the picture AND audio to the TV when I press the home button?